Over 7,600 young people in Romania have looked for a job in the last two weeks on a specialized platform, the most sought-after fields being construction, cleaning and elderly care, shows the latest study by the DeLucru.ro platform.
The data indicates a 39% increase in applications among young people between 18 and 24 years old, compared to the previous period, and almost 70% of them target activities of only 1-2 hours per day or remote jobs.
The most sought-after fields are construction (28% of total searches for unskilled jobs), cleaning (26%), elderly care (15%), agriculture (14%) and seasonal HoReCa (13%).
"Economic pressure - amplified by the increase in food prices, utilities and tax increases - is causing over 40% of young people to accept temporary or additional jobs, and almost 60% fear a decrease in their standard of living. The phenomenon is also spreading rapidly in small towns, where Tecuci (10%), Moinesti (9%), Pascani (8%) and Râmnicu Vâlcea (7%) lead the number of recent account activations," the study shows.
In parallel, the study of Derucru.ro shows that the cutting of social and university scholarships - which summed up 7 billion lei - obliges more and more students to look for additional income. The number of high school students interested in occasional jobs increased by 30%, and students migrate to part-time or daily activities to compensate for the loss of scholarships and the explosion of living expenses.
The study also shows that there was an increase of over 35% in searches for such activities among young people without qualifications, compared to the same period last month.
In rural areas, this increase reaches 41%, a sign that economic pressure is being felt strongly by this vulnerable category. More than 40% of young people say they would accept occasional or additional jobs to cover their costs, in a context in which 60% fear a decrease in living standards, amid rising taxes and the price of food, rent and utilities.
"The phenomenon is not limited to just one social segment. During this period, job searches among young people between 18 and 24 years old increased by 39%. Most applicants come from large cities - Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca or Ia?i - and almost half of those who sent their CVs have higher education or are still students. In recent days, there has been an accelerated increase in the number of young people between 18 and 25 years old, with secondary or secondary education and without digital skills, who are looking to work extra to make ends meet - approximately 46% of them come from rural areas. The phenomenon is also spreading to small towns, where young people are increasingly present on recruitment platforms", the cited study shows.
After the news of the reduction in social grants, job platforms are noticing a notable increase in the number of high school students looking for occasional work - either on weekends or for 1-2 hours a day after school. The study shows a jump of approximately 30% in the number of students interested in working 1-2 hours a day compared to the period before the announcement of the reduction in the percentage of social grants. They are turning to simple jobs compatible with the school program, such as distributing leaflets, helping in trade, deliveries or doing household chores in the neighborhood.
With accommodation and food costs having increased significantly over the past year, with rent prices being around 14% higher than last year (well above the inflation rate), in just a few days since the announcement of the new fiscal policies, there has been an increase of around 29% in the number of students actively looking for jobs on the Delucru.ro platform. They are generally looking for unskilled or part-time jobs - from waiters and commercial workers, to call-center or delivery workers - anything that can bring them additional income after completing their courses.
"Recent university graduates (young people under 25) also face a difficult professional landscape, despite their diploma. The youth unemployment rate has reached 25% in Romania, well above the European Union average - a clear indication of the obstacles these young people face in finding employment. More and more graduates are expressing their desire to work remotely, considering that relocating to a big city for a job would burden them with prohibitive rent and living costs," the study reveals.
According to the cited source, employers offering graphic design, online marketing or IT projects often prefer collaborators with a solid portfolio, especially since in the new economic context, the rates of experienced specialists are similar to those of a beginner. A good part of graduates under 25 feel disadvantaged in the labor market, being forced to either accept the compromise of a job below their qualification level or to accumulate experience on their own before catching the desired opportunity.
The analyzed data comes from user activity on the Delucru.ro platform (new accounts, applications, internal surveys, statistical analysis of search behavior, period July 1-15, 2025 vs. June 2025, the total sample being 28,515 active users, and small towns are defined as localities with under 100,000 inhabitants.
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